The Louisiana Office of Tourism and Oxford American magazine kicked off the Louisiana Soundtrack Experience with events in Shreveport and Natchitoches. The inaugural event, From Elvis to Hank to Johnny: Celebrating 65 years of the Louisiana Hayride, was on Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport. The second event, Raising Cane: A Musical Tour in Creole Country was held Saturday, March 2, at Northwestern State University. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne attended both events and helped celebrate the Louisiana Soundtrack Experience with the acts such as Dirtfoot, the Louisiana Hayride Band featuring Maggie Warwick, The LaCour Trio and Goldman Thibodeaux.

The next event, Cajun Seasoning: Zydeco Rhythms in the Heart of Acadiana, will be held in Lafayette on April 20. DMO participation is available for remaining events in Lafayette, Ferriday and New Orleans. For additional information, please contact LeAnne Weill at 225.342.8144 or lweill@crt.la.gov.

New Orleans sees 10-year record for tourism numbers in 2012Travel Agent Central - The New Orleans' tourism industry welcomed 9.01 million visitors in 2012, record numbers not seen by the city in nearly 10 years. Total visitor numbers increased by 3 percent (255,027) from the number of visitors in 2011 (8.75 million). The 9.01 million visitors spent $6 billion, a 9 percent ($512 million) increase from 2011 and the highest spending in the city's history, according to a study recently released.

Forbes names Alexandria and Baton Rouge two of America's 25 Best Places to Retire in 2013Forbes has announced its 25 Best Places to Retire and two cities in Louisiana are among the list. Alexandria is noted for its balmy climate, above average air quality, good Milken Institute aging factor rank and low cost of living. Baton Rouge is noted for its low cost of living, good state tax climate, nearby college amenities and good Milken Institute aging factor rank. To compile the list, Forbes crunched data on more than 400 cities representing every state, looking at factors such as living costs, taxes, crime, the availability of doctors and the opportunity to stay active with outdoor exercise and volunteer work.

ASAE urges congress to consider meetings impact
The American Society of Association Executives submitted testimony to a congressional subcommittee recently, urging the federal government not to restrict its employees from attending association conferences. ASAE is also asking its members to get involved by sharing stories of how their meetings improve society.

National Travel and Tourism Week May 4 - 12
Tourism is important to Louisiana's economy. To mark National Travel and Tourism Week, tourism related industries will join to highlight the valuable role tourism plays in contributing to our vibrant communities as great places to visit and live. Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne will travel throughout state during National Travel and Tourism Week to participate in activities planned by various organizations. Invite your local and state officials to participate in your National Tourism Week event. These functions provide opportunities to educate officials about the importance of tourism and the economic benefits it brings to the state. For suggestions and resources for planning a Tourism Week event, click here; you will find logos, graphics, ideas to celebrate, talking points, facts and social media tips.

Memphis Grizzlies promotion
The Office of Tourism, several statewide partners and Grammy Award-winning zydeco artist, Terrance Simien joined forces at the FedExForum in Memphis on March 9 to market Louisiana at a NBA matchup between the New Orleans Hornets and the Memphis Grizzlies. Joining LOT were tourism representatives from Alexandria, Lake Charles, Shreveport, Ascension Parish, Livingston Parish, Tangipahoa Parish and a delegation representing the Louisiana North coalition. The team manned a consumer booth prior to tip-off and following the conclusion of the game on the main plaza of the arena, distributing state tour guides, Mardi Gras beads and regional brochures and promotional items.

Dallas Maverick promotion cancelled
The Louisiana Travel consumer events scheduled in conjunction with the New Orleans Hornets and Dallas Mavericks basketball game scheduled for April 17 have been cancelled. LOT appreciates our industry partners' continued support of our sales and marketing efforts.

DMAI's 30 Under 30 program now accepting applications
DMAI is accepting applications for its 30 Under 30 program, focused on identifying and developing the talent of destination marketing professionals, 30-years-old or younger, through increased access to top-level networking and professional development.

Majority of U.S. travelers struggle to take all their vacation daysHospitality Net - More than half of U.S. travelers expect to leave unused vacation days on the table in 2013. Even when they take time off, travelers struggle to leave the stress of work at the office according to a new Best Western Vacation Citation survey. Of travelers surveyed, 62 percent said they had difficulty taking vacation in the past 12 months, and half said work frequently keeps them from relaxing while on vacation. Enjoying their time off is even tougher for frequent business travelers, as 52 percent say work is more likely to ruin their vacation than bad weather.